[2014 Mid-Year Tests] France

[Jaguares]

agreed FrenchFan on your points, esp. Michalak being past test rugby (but he could actually still surprise us all !). Agreed about Ouedra and Dusau as well...plenty of other very good options there available....all in all, this selection is just gradually starting to smell like crap the more I look at it...CONRAD: read past posts on this very thread for your answer.

This?

10. Trinh-Duc, 11. Marvin O'Connor/Ben Fall, 6.Lauret.....Oh, out of the squad ??!....my bad.

I'd go:
1 - Domingo
2 - Kayser
3 - Mas
4 - Maestri
5 - Vahaamahina
6 - Burban
7 - Dusautoir
8 - Picamoles
9 - Parra
10 - Talès
11 - Bonneval
12 - Fof
13 - Basta
14 - Huget
15 - Dulin

16.Tolofua 17.Debaty 18.Slimani 19.Flanquart 20.Chouly 21.Machenaud 22.Michalak 23.Fickou


For the third row:
Chouly has really come around very nicely this season and has added physicality to his game. A real utility flanker, perfect for the bench. And I'd rather try an on-form Burban who carries, tackles and rucks like a beast rather than Le Roux who's a bit infringement-prone, or the far more athletic/airborne Nyanga. But I'd bring in that latter two eventually. We'll see if Dusautoir holds up well...etc...

 

[Big Ewis]

they're cannon fodder to the International test schedule

they're going out there to fulfill some innane agreement btw 2 federations

scrap these down under tours

Oh, I dunno about that...chaire à cannon, tu dis ?! chépoo....
Nah, I think PSA isn't the most transparent coach we've ever had, in terms of his intentions and all that, but you think they're going to tank this series ?!...
It's pretty annoying because on paper, and I'm not using cowardly hypotheticals, but on paper we really have what it takes to win it. Looking at what we have on paper, in theory, I'm seriously not afraid of Australia atm.
But knowing the sort of "game" we play and the coaching staff we've got, I wouldn't be amazed by a nice Wallaby sweep, nice and clean. Thank you for coming Frenchies, see you later, thanks, safe trip back home, k byebye now.
Well...at least, hopefully, maybe we can score more than ONE TRY on this fkn tour...

Man when you think of the scrum we've got, the backline, the forwards, Picamoles, Fofana, Dulin, Huget, etc etc etc....ehhhh, anyways...

Conrad: no. What you've quoted there is the France squad I want to see feature in a gangbang porno of Sarah Palin, in that order specifically. They're all wearing their clubs uniform to make it nice and colorful, visually enticing. Fred Michalak doesn't get any action...he films.

 

[Big Ewis]

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK, here goes our other first choice hooker......so no Szar, and now no Kayser on the tour. This is pretty bad. Kayser brings stability to the scrum, good throws, a bit of leadership and lots of personality to the squad, and power overall. FK - DIS - SHHIT. Just fk it.......
Needs to go through an operation and will miss the tour.........

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Looking at the IRB rankings. None of Aus, SA or NZ have anything to gain (ranking points wise) as adding the assumed 3 points to the host nation's current rating puts all 3 SH teams 10 ranking points ahead of their visiting rivals which is the limit at which the system rewards the top ranked team.

The flip side is of course that the visiting teams can climb up the rankings hugely with a win.

Just some useless info.

 

[Big Ewis]

well thanks for stinking up the thread stormer. I'd rather see shhit on here than nothing at all
Nah, it's cool to know actually...a great old wise man once said: "there is no knowledge that isn't power". Although when I think about it, it's absolutely wrong, and actually I got it from Mortal Kombat 3 on the Sega Megadrive...

Guys on some French forum are proposing the following solutions for our hooker issue:
- after trying him out of position at flanker in the 6N, Vahaamahina knows his new role for the summer.
- this is the perfect opportunity to try out Bastareaud at hooker.
- just select Trinh-Duc. He doesn't have to play hooker, just, pick him.

 

[TheSaffycen]

you have Tolofua. But knowing PSA you will see a front row of 1.Domingo 2.Michalak 3.Debaty

 

[Big Ewis]

oh we have a bunch of hookers, no worries. Just not at Szar+Kayser level...and yes, that is a probability. With Parra at no.8, to rest Picamoles, and Talès at 7 when Dusautoir gets injured 50min into test 1. Fofana at fullback with Dulin moving to 9.

 

[Big Ewis]

Brice Mach (Castres Olympique) to replace Kayser for the June internationals.

 

[gaston le gaff]

So what will the 9/10 partnership for the first test be as both no 10's Michalak and Tales are selected in the TOP 14 final.......... will it be Machenaud and Parra at 10 as the two finalists are usually not selected as they will not leave till probably Mon. sometime, or will PSA hold his dick in his hand and bring out FTD for one test, No of course he will not!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Suits don't make real decisions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Big Ewis]

guud kvestion. I guess...I dunno, he might do the Parra at 10 thing, or he might pick another no.10 just for that one test, and in that case it would be Paris's Plisson.
Or in fact, he may want to shut down the critics and pick Trinh-Duc for that one relatively unimportant test, so that's out of the way at least for a while.

 

[TheSaffycen]

So who will be playing at 10 for France then ? Both fly-halves are tied up in the top 14 final, will they play Trinh- Duc ? Can't wait for these test !!

 

[Big Ewis]

So who will be playing at 10 for France then ? Both fly-halves are tied up in the top 14 final, will they play Trinh- Duc ? Can't wait for these test !!

haha, happy to see you're excited too. I'm very curious and eager to see what England can manage in NZ, too.
"will they play Trinh-Duc", 'they', those monsters ? No, the monsters won't be playing TD...as displayed in the post right above yours, I did think they could possibly pick TD for test 1 but now that he's playing in Twickenham in that Baabaa game on the 1st it's absolutely impossible. I thought maybe they'd send Plisson, but they won't send a guy just for 1 match, it makes no sense....they might use Parra at 10 with Machenaud at 9...

 

[TheSaffycen]

Oh... really Parra at 10? Did they not take note of Livermont's reign ? He isn't a 10, never will be. I know French scrum halfs are different too most as they are more of a playmaker but 10 is a totally different kettle of fish, will Lopez play 1st test ? Anyway I assume that none of the Toulon/Castres contingent will be heading to Oz? with that in mind my team is ......(even though everytime I do these my team gets ripped to shreds <_<)
1.Domingo 2.Tolofua 3.Slimani 4.Vahaaminha 5.Maestri 6.Burban 7.Dusautoir 8.Picamoles 9.Parra 10.Lopez (parra if no one's called up) 11.Huget 12.Lamerat 13.Fofana 14.Bonneval 15.Medard

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

well knowing PSA its probably going to be Michalak at 10 as he was called up cant remember the other 10 which was in the squad

 

[Big Ewis]

indeed, your XV is a Hellish effigy to your unparalleled incompetence, TheSaffycen. Out of the myriads of miserable XV's you've concocted so far, this one is possibly the worst of them all. Which is a concept that can only make one nauseous.
No I'm joking of course (*cough* *cough*).

I'd say:
1.Domingo 2.Guirado 3.Mas 4.Vahaamahina 5.Maestri 6.Burban 7.Dusautoir 8.Picamoles 9.Machenaud 10.Parra 11.Huget 12.Fofana 13.Fickou 14.Médard 15.Dulin

The French final is on the 31st, and Test 1 in Oz is on June 7th...so technically Talès and Michalak could make it in time, but that's just not how they do it for some reason...so the only viable option here is Parra preparing as 10. And tbh he's not a bad 10, but it's still ridiculous we can't play a real fkng 10 out of all the guys we have. Lopez is still injured, and I don't think they'll call in Plisson just for the 1 test.

So I'm pretty sure that XV up there is the one they'll play. The staff doesn't trust Tolofua, every time he's selected he still doesn't see playing time, so they'll go classic with Guirado.
They might start Slimani, give the youngster some starting caps, but I feel they'll be stubborn and use Mas.
They started Burban against England in the 6N, and then he got injured, so I'm guessing they might pick him over Nyanga or Chouly here. He's been on-form for Paris lately.
I uploaded this some time ago, against Toulon, last match of the regular season:


They'll be stubborn and play fkng Médard at the other wing, I'm sure. Out of all the wingers we've got, it's Médard, a fullback, who takes the spot ??
Finally, Fickou at center since Basta is in France, and so is Lamerat you silly goose, playing for the greatest club in France, Castres.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

indeed, your XV is a Hellish effigy to your unparalleled incompetence, TheSaffycen. Out of the myriads of miserable XV's you've concocted so far, this one is possibly the worst of them all. Which is a concept that can only make one nauseous.
No I'm joking of course (*cough* *cough*).

I'd say:
1.Domingo 2.Guirado 3.Mas 4.Vahaamahina 5.Maestri 6.Burban 7.Dusautoir 8.Picamoles 9.Machenaud 10.Parra 11.Huget 12.Fofana 13.Fickou 14.Médard 15.Dulin

The French final is on the 31st, and Test 1 in Oz is on June 7th...so technically Talès and Michalak could make it in time, but that's just not how they do it for some reason...so the only viable option here is Parra preparing as 10. And tbh he's not a bad 10, but it's still ridiculous we can't play a real fkng 10 out of all the guys we have. Lopez is still injured, and I don't think they'll call in Plisson just for the 1 test.

So I'm pretty sure that XV up there is the one they'll play. The staff doesn't trust Tolofua, every time he's selected he still doesn't see playing time, so they'll go classic with Guirado.
They might start Slimani, give the youngster some starting caps, but I feel they'll be stubborn and use Mas.
They started Burban against England in the 6N, and then he got injured, so I'm guessing they might pick him over Nyanga or Chouly here. He's been on-form for Paris lately.
I uploaded this some time ago, against Toulon, last match of the regular season:


They'll be stubborn and play fkng Médard at the other wing, I'm sure. Out of all the wingers we've got, it's Médard, a fullback, who takes the spot ??
Finally, Fickou at center since Basta is in France, and so is Lamerat you silly goose, playing for the greatest club in France, Castres.

but why should medard be france fullback when you get Dulin who atm i think is france first choice fullback and i think medard doesn't get into enough action when he's on the wing for the back three for france i think should look like 11. Bonneval 14. Huget 15. Dulin i dont know if Huget is injured if thats why none off you's added him into the starting XV

 

[Big Ewis]

it'd be hilarious if PSA for whatever remote reason went Bonneval-Médard-Dulin for the back three. 3 fullbacks to start the game, that, I'm quite sure he hasn't accomplished yet. All he needs is time. He'll make it happen, I'm sure.

 

[TheSaffycen]

Finally, Fickou at center since Basta is in France, and so is Lamerat you silly goose, playing for the greatest club in France, Castres.

Bloody hell of course he is, I must bow down to the superior rugby knowledge of BIG EWIS :bowdown:

but why should medard be france fullback when you get Dulin who atm i think is france first choice fullback and i think medard doesn't get into enough action when he's on the wing for the back three for france i think should look like 11. Bonneval 14. Huget 15. Dulin i dont know if Huget is injured if thats why none off you's added him into the starting XV

Dulin is away with Castres in the final at the moment. Both of us have Huget in our teams ?

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

ah ok

 

[Big Ewis]

Bloody hell of course he is, I must bow down to the superior rugby knowledge of BIG EWIS :bowdown:


Dulin is away with Castres in the final at the moment. Both of us have Huget in our teams ?

lol, I guess I'm a silly goose too. That makes us silly geese (was hoping to use that plural imminently...). But I can't be wrong, as you know...I only meant the spirit of Brice Dulin would be there for the xv de France....what I really meant was:

1.Domingo 2.Guirado 3.Mas 4.Vahaamahina 5.Maestri 6.Burban 7.Dusautoir 8.Picamoles 9.Machenaud 10.Parra 11.Bonneval 12.Fofana 13.Fickou 14.Huget 15.Médard

Not sure who they'll play at the other wing...they've never played Bonneval at FB, but have done it with Médard...so it would seem logical to use the more experienced player at the back, and the youngster at winger.